Honestly, post-abrogation has seen a lot of changes. The most important change has been the uninterrupted opening of schools, free from violence, and seeing our children on the playfields and progressing in all sectors. This is only possible because peace has returned to Jammu and Kashmir. It is rightly said that without peace, progress is not possible, and without education, peace is not possible. To achieve peace, we need to build a peaceful environment, and for that, our youth have a great role to play

Students’ Day is the day that is assigned and dedicated to the idea of the students’ success; recognition of the importance of teachers’ work; and the acknowledgment of the students as the leaders of tomorrow. In history an endless amount of people attained glory by following the teachings of their teachers. Unlike other learners who ingest information, such students internalized the ideas taught by their teachers and became positive minded beacons in society. Contemporary students have their own challenges that make these values seem like they are things from a distant past or something so rare to find in a student. On this Students’ Day, it seems relevant to inspire students with legendary examples of famous student-teacher pairs that influenced history and to think what students nowadays can learn from them.
Alexander the Great and Aristotle
To add, one can distinguish extensive examples of the student-teacher relationship such as Alexander the Great and the philosopher, Aristotle. Alexander also received his early education from Aristotle, who made him develop a certain affection towards philosophy, science and literature. It would be important to realize that Aristotle’s teachings introduced Alexander to more than ideas and philosophies of life but also ethics, strategies, and leadership principles. Thus, with Aristotle’s help, the young Alexander grew to possess an amazing mental potential, which, however, would combine with his purely martial talents.
The study by Matyszak, a British author, tells that Alexander respected Aristotle and the quote about his teacher: “I owe my existence to my father, but I owe my life to my teacher.” The military organization and the administrative organization of his empire was as much due to Aristotle as to his own desire. The series depicts action and ideas which pay tribute to a hardworking student who follows the instructions from a wise teacher, showing how a respect for learning can spur people on to greater achievement.

Mahatma Gandhi and Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Gandhi is one of the significant statesmen of the twentieth century who with the help of using nonviolent measures led India to gain independence. Ironically, only a handful of people know his leadership nurtured under the guidance of an Indian political leader and social reformer, Gopal Krishna Gokhale. The patient and self-disciplined Gokhale began instilling these values in Gandhi’s outlook on the Satyagraha principle of ahimsa. Gandhi's developments to follow Gokhale’s lessons became the fundamental platform to his leadership making him the symbol of world peace and struggle. This type of student-teacher relationship also played an important role in giving values that helped the shaping of character of individuals and of nation and the world. As the reader learns more about Gandhi’s life as a student, still one receives a stern affirmation of what humility can do as well as the virtue of taking lessons from someone else.

Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a revered saint of India and Swami Vivekananda was the disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. In the early age, Vivekananda had sweated out answers about faith, religious path and life; this answer was given by Ramakrishna. Concerning the philosophical and spiritual concept in Ramakrishna’s teachings that influenced Vivekananda, the following aspects should be mentioned: the principles of religion as unity, non-dualism and selflessness, and the concept of Jiva or service to humanity. The works of Swami Vivekananda later extended to inspire more than a hundred million people worldwide through his appeals for the realization of the Universal Brotherhood and through his calls for one’s spiritual and intellectual regeneration. Today people remember a speech that he delivered at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago in 1893. There are people who positively respect him as a wise philanthropist. By following a spiritual guru or Master, as Vivekananda did with Ramakrishna, it is possible to have a total turn of life, showing how useful it is to seek light other than that associated with study, in the case of Swami Vivekananda, the education he received from Ramakrishna marked a turning point in his life as a student and as per the purpose of education.

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan

Modern American story, who was born deaf and dumb, Helen Keller could become an example of perseverance and courage of the twentieth century. Her life changed when she met her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who erased the darkness out of Keller’s world by educating her in how to speak. Sullivan’s patience, innovative thinking and persistent effort was the basis for Keller to become an accomplished author, lecturer and an activist for disabled people. With the help of Sullivan, Keller mastered speaking and writing as well as graduated from Radcliffe College. Keller’s story makes a dear reader realize that to be a good student one does not need to necessarily be intelligent but willing to learn and, most importantly, trust a teacher. Her life is an example of how a special teacher-student relationship enables one to overcome physical and social barriers to perform the exceptional.

The Lost Sense of Being a student: Problem Solving for Today’s Learners

These historical examples are really an impressive picture of the relationship between students and mentors but the current life experience of students differs greatly from the past centuries. Current learners have very little chance to express the values of respect, dedication, and humility exhibited by these individuals. They include; increasing cases of digital interference, the pressure to excel in competitive exams, commercialization of education and no proper guidance. With today’s globalization and development in technology, students are more knowledgeable than ever, however, the content knowledge they attain results in shorter attentiveness. A student spends countless hours daily glued to screens playing games, using social media, streaming, and other related activities that distracts them from engagement with their studies. However, the use of technology in learning exhibits several disadvantages; students cannot focus on their studies or even get a chance to interact with their tutors.
Modern school and college systems are very exam-based focusing on results rather than knowledge and achievement, and personal development. As a result, this environment creates a transactional perspective to education in which students aim at passing their courses mostly by cramming. This pressure normally erases creativity, critical understanding, and passion of knowledge which are important qualities of a true learner or a student.
For instance in the ancient period, students used to have close bonds with their tutors throughout the period perhaps through loyalty, reverence as well as affection. Today’s student and teacher relationship is also more professional as opposed to earlier times, more especially in large institutions. Teachers, especially those being assigned administrative chores or classroom size with numerous students may find it quite challenging to give their learners a close attention that Aristotle offered to his student, Gokhale imparted to his learners and Sullivan provided to his learners. Crucial elements of students’ life – such as humbleness, obedience, and respect are buried beneath the ideology of selfish liberty and rivalry. This shift has resulted in the decline of the culture of learning as a process of human and moral growth. The low emphasis placed on values means that students may well see learning as a process which is valueless and a road map to social and economic productive outcomes rather than as a process which will make them better people.

The Process of Return to Education in Terms of the Spirit

On this students’ day, people are reminded that values which these outstanding students followed are still topical: discipline, humility, respect, and dedication. Promoting these values in the contemporary learning environment might revolutionize the processes of learning and attitude toward one’s responsibilities in society. This means that we create conditions under which mentorship is possible, under which learning is not exclusively a commodity exchange process, conditions under which students not only acquire knowledge and information but also become intellectually and ethically better persons. Today we have students, and they may be inspired by some historical personalities like Alexander, Gandhi, Vivekananda, and Keller. All those learned personalities toured their teachers and became great personalities in society. It is important for today’s students to learn from some of these learners, who displayed high levels of curiosity, humility and willingness to learn that is usually missing in today’s learners and emulate true student hood which includes; levering for the best outcome embracing the virtue of humility, honesty and curiosity that propel them through their learning journey.
Hence, school education is important not only for mental development but for all-round development. These schools were affected by hartals and strikes and witnessed months-long shutdowns over the years, which caused not only mental but also physical harm to the students. They became addicted to various bad habits, for which we are paying a heavy price. Our children have been involved in drugs, mental disorders, and depression due to the circumstances and their non-involvement in social sectors and schools. Now, these issues are being overhauled, and with peace returning to Kashmir, education will flourish once again. Today, we are seeing our children in schools with much enthusiasm and smiles.

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